How often have you asked students to form an opinion on something they’ve never experienced? To produce a project on a place they’ve never visited? Or to create a piece of art based on a sculpture they’ve never touched? Creating real-life experiences is exactly why Castlechurch Primary School won the 2008 national Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) award.
Year 6 Castlechurch Primary School students constructing their willow dome © Castlechurch Primary School
The school received the award because of their commitment to learning outside the classroom where the majority of student’s most memorable school experiences occurred.
Headteacher Gill Hampton explains that learning takes place outside the school, in the school grounds and in different parts of the school building, in fact, ‘anywhere in which the children can apply previously learnt skills and knowledge in real-life situations’.
‘How can you ask a child to write a story about being lost in a forest if they have never stood in a wood?’ Gill said. ‘How can you talk about the dangers of rivers if you have never stood in wellingtons on the edge of a river in flood? If you ask the pupils where their best learning takes place they will always give you examples that are not in a classroom.’
Constructing a willow dome
One project involved year 6 students in creating an outdoor classroom out of living willows. A school governor, who is also a member of the school’s eco committee, saw an opportunity to work with a group of year 6 students with behaviour issues. He established a lunchtime group to begin the construction of a living willow dome.
When other year 6 students wanted to be involved too, a rota system was established. Maths skills were used to work out the circumference, radius and diameter of the building and to calculate the quantity of block paving, sand and cement that would be needed for the floor. The students helped to order the materials and laid the foundations and paving.
Finally, willow branches were planted and woven, sourced from the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, and their staff also provided support with the construction. Log benches are used as seating within the dome for use at lunchtimes or as a cool summer classroom.
Castlechurch Primary School students inside their willow dome © Castlechurch Primary School
The school is moving towards a more creative curriculum and will be involving students in planning even more of their learning experiences.
While year 6 students were creating a living willow dome, year 5 were finding a new hotel for the annual residential in Llandudno. Discussing what needed to be considered as part of a risk assessment informed children and parents and supported the Every Child Matters (ECM) agenda. ‘It’s a proper experience – it’s not just learning how to do it, it’s doing it’ says Gill Hampton.
The benefits of ‘real-life’ learning
This kind of ‘real-life’ work supports ECM, social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) and achieves cross-curriculum learning across subjects such as geography, maths and design and technology. Language skills are developed through discussion, decision-making and writing for a real audience – as well as the language stimulus provided by the experiences themselves.
In addition, Gill Hampton’s advice is that wherever you are there will be something in your local area that you can use or something happening within the community. For example, post SATs, year 6 pupils will be ‘event organisers’ for a mini-Olympics. They will tackle everything from budgeting, health and safety, writing letters to parents and ordering refreshments, to organisation on the day.
The Learning Outside the Classroom awards recognise the commitment of schools and staff in providing innovative learning experiences for their students. To make sure your school gets a mention for all your hard work, visit the LOtC website for details on the 2009 awards.
Further information
Make a geo dome resource by Sheffield Galleries & Museums Trust
by Architecture Week
Love school grounds website
Learning Outside the Classroom: out and about guidance
